As of: January 27, 2024, 8:00 a.m
By: Friedbert Holz
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Discussing the future of the church (from left): former Minister of State Marcel Huber, Emeritus Auxiliary Bishop Bernhard Haßlberger, moderator Werner Reuß, Caritas district manager Andrea Myhsok and city priest Martin Garmaier.
Church is often the first point of contact. Women are welcome in leadership © Friedbert Holz
Church for what?
This provocative question was the focus of a discussion in Erding.
Conclusion: Church takes on many tasks in our society and has to deal honestly with its own scandals.
Erding – church, what for?
In order to get answers to this current question, around 50 interested people came to Johanneshaus on Thursday evening.
As part of its tenth anniversary, the Erding-Langengeisling parish association asked four competent interlocutors for discussion: from the church, the former auxiliary bishop Bernhard Haßlberger and city priest Martin Garmaier, as well as the former state minister Marcel Huber and Alexandra Myhsok, Caritas managing director for Erding and Freising.
With the ever-increasing number of people leaving the church, largely due to the numerous abuse scandals, Huber asked about making this institution more attractive: "Doesn't the church have to act if freedom is confused with arbitrariness at this time?" Bishop Haßlberger is certain that the church is "a good one message, but we are in competition with other movements and urgently need more honesty when dealing with cases of abuse.”
And Garmaier sees the insight from daily practice as “that it is good to notice that you are not alone when dealing with problems, especially in our world of egotism.”
But the church is also seen in its day-to-day work, helping people, Myhsok reported from Caritas' everyday life: "Social work means putting faith into practice, Christian values are important here and are also conveyed." However, the church is often not Having succeeded in bringing faith with human life together, Haßlberger warned: “We have to get to it.
We have forgotten how to articulate faith personally.” The church must again be “more of a voice than just an echo,” but not from above and no longer driven by dogmas as it once was.
The auxiliary bishop emeritus agrees with the city priest that in a time of increasing individuality it is important to make good offers.
However, this should not lead to ideological neutrality.
This creates a vacuum that is then filled by other religions or spiritual teachings.
The church as an employer was also discussed: after all, around 58,000 people are employed by it in Germany, and another 500,000 volunteers also work in the service of people.
“And for new residents in the area, the church is usually the first point of contact,” Huber added as a positive argument.
Garmaier also brought up religious education as a bonus point.
“Respect for others is taught here; after all, Jesus is the inventor of democracy.
Even children must learn that human dignity, even enshrined in the Basic Law, is not just an empty phrase, that religion and faith can provide mental stability in life, especially in the event of strokes of fate such as death or war.” The church should be the ultimate guardian of creation but also work for environmental protection, emphasized Huber, “as an early Christian task”.
When asked by moderator Werner Reuß for a conclusion, the group agreed that the church must be an ethical and moral authority that brings as many people as possible onto the common path.
Mysticism and political involvement are also desired, a church that is generally open, “with at least 50 percent women in leadership,” said Myhsok to applause from the audience.